


Magic Isn't Everything

by Zeghxtifveil



Category: Sleepless Domain (Webcomic)
Genre: Magical Girls, My First Work in This Fandom, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26481229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zeghxtifveil/pseuds/Zeghxtifveil
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

##  **Prologue**

###  **The Last Merry Day**

Karol- "Sweety, it's time for dinner. Your soup is getting cold."

Georgia- "Coming, mom!"

Georgia rushed down the stairs to the dining room. It had been a while since her mom prepared her favorite soup. It was a great day for everyone so a little celebration was in order. Georgia's favorite Magical Girl team, Team Alchemical, had been doing a fan event today, and Georgia managed to get all five members to sign her favorite poster of them. It displayed each of the girls lined up side by side. Georgia's mom managed to get a promotion at work, her dad had received his first pay raise in three years, and her brother was coming home from college in the morning. All in all today seemed like it couldn't get any better.

Eric- "So, how was your day, princess?"

Georgia- "It was wonderful, Papa. The whole team signed my poster, and I even got to shake their hands."

They went to bed that night believing the day's events to be over, but the night had one more surprise in store for them. Tonight would be one of the most important things that could ever happen to any young girl. Tonight Georgia would have "The Dream".

####  **End of Prologue**


	2. Chapter 2

##  **Chapter 1**

###  **Dreams Can Come True**

That night was unusually quiet in the Gramm household. Normally, Georgia would have stayed up to see a few battles outside her window. She always loved seeing the Magical Girls beat up monsters. Tonight was different, though. The day had been an enjoyable experience for everyone so, naturally, everyone was tuckered out. That night was a restful one, and yet, for some reason, Georgia was sweating. Tears streamed down her face. What could bring such a joyous girl this much distress? Perhaps the answer lies in her dreams.

She opened her eyes. Where was she, and why was she covered in ashes? That question rang in her mind as she slowly stood up. The ground was carpeted with ash and dust. Where did it come from? It doesn't look like anything was burned, and why did the air smell like metal? What an odd smell for ash to have. No, it wasn't the ash that smelled of metal. It was something else, but she couldn’t quite pin it down yet.

Georgia felt something as she clenched her fist. A piece of a metal on a handle rested in her grasp. She recognized what it was, almost like it was natural for her to have been holding it. The strange metal object was part of a shield that had been broken. The rest of it’s pieces were laying on the ground beside her. Georgia picked up each shard of the shield with caution as so not to cut herself on the jagged edges.

She took a long time staring at her surroundings. There were broken buildings as far as the eye could see. Shattered glass and crumbled walls littered the streets. As she gazed about, she began noticing these strange statues. At first, they didn't seem all that eye catching. When she began wandering the streets, she began to take more notice of them. They were becoming more detailed. They appeared as if they were distressed, scared even. As Georgia strayed further into the wreckage, the statues became more disturbing to look at. Most of them looked like they were running from something. What would possess someone to make statues like this, and why did they make them in such large numbers. 

A frightening howl echoed throughout the city. Georgia’s spine went cold. Her heart sank in her chest. Whatever that was, it couldn’t be good. She began running, but, for some reason, she wasn't running away from the noise. She ran towards it. Her fear was gone, and her heart was where it should be. She needed to hurry. Those statues were people, and that metallic smell was blood. If she didn't make it in time, it would happen to more innocent civilians. She ran with all her might. Georgia was getting close. One more street, and she'd be there. She turned the corner and…

White. Before she had a chance to think, everything drowned in a blinding light as she heard a voice from behind. It was soft and gentle. Like her mother's, it was caring and smooth, but it was different from the one she was used to, more burdened and sorrowful. She turned to face the young woman behind her.

Woman in White- “Rushing in to help them without so much as a second thought is quite brave of you. You already go through so much, yet still you would put your life on the line for others so easily. Even so, I know this is a heavy burden I’m asking of you, but...”

Georgia- “It’s no trouble, really. I’m tired of waiting for someone else to save me. Now I can make sure they don’t have to. I'll hold back all their fears as best I can. I promise.”

The woman gave a gentle laugh and began speaking once more, but she had already started becoming inaudible. Her image faded from view, leaving not even a memory of her smile behind.

Georgia began to open her eyes. They felt wetter than they did most mornings, but she just wiped them with a tissue like she did every morning. Something about her dream lingered in her mind. It was an unusual thing for her to remember her dreams so vividly. Unlike most girls her age, she never really kept a good account of them. Georgia had no notebook or journal of any kind, not even a diary. She never felt like it would be necessary. She didn’t think girls like her could have The Dream. She was wrong.

Georgia went about her morning as she always had. She sat still for around five minutes, combed through her hair with her fingers, got her toothbrush and favorite lavender bath soaps from her nightstand, which was a weird place to keep them sure, but she did so anyway, and went to bathe and get ready for the morning. 

She spent at least half an hour in the tub, but, to her, it was worth it. Better to spend too much time getting clean than not enough, she thought. She had already picked out her clothes for the day, a black pleated skirt and the new Team Alchemical tee-shirt she bought yesterday. Georgia turned to the mirror so she could brush her hair and teeth, but, when she saw her reflection, she was awestruck. 

Her hair had become such a beautiful color. It was as if threads of silver grew from her head. She hadn't noticed in the bath because she was used to keeping her eyes closed so they didn't burn from the soap she liked. Her eyes had changed too. They used to be a plain mixture of blue and green. Now, her eyes had changed into shining silver disks. For the first time in her life, Georgia could actually describe herself as pretty. 

She slowly began to realize what this meant. The dream she had somehow remembered was The Dream. She wasn’t a normal girl anymore, not that she was a “normal” girl to begin with per say. Georgia was now a Magical Girl, a defender of the city. Panic began to set in.

Georgia- “MOM! PAPA!”

It wasn’t an everyday occurrence that she screamed through the house, but it wasn’t unprecedented either. It only took a moment for Georgia to get a response.

Karol- “What is it, sweetheart?!”

Georgia- “I think I had The Dream last night!”

A large crash could be heard from downstairs.

John- “WAIT! WHAT?”

On this particular morning, nine months from the night everything changed, Georgia Gramm, a mediocre yet joyous girl, joined the ranks of the city’s most beloved heroines. She was both panicked and exhilarated. Although she was not prepared for any of the tribulations to come, she was going to do great and wondrous things with the power bestowed upon her.

####  **End of Chapter One**


	3. Chapter 3

##  **Chapter 2**

###  **From Enemies to Allies**

Today was a day like any other, but something was amiss in the Gramm household.

(We already covered this. Just pick up where you left off.)

Oh, right! Well, okay then. Ahem.

A large crash could be heard from downstairs.

John- “WAIT! WHAT?”

It was only a quarter until seven in the morning, an hour before Georgia needed to leave the house if she wanted to make it to school on time. Her elder brother, John, wasn’t supposed to be back until at least ten. Certainly, John’s early arrival was a surprise, but it was not near big enough to outweigh Georgia receiving The Dream.

Panicked, Georgia practically slid down the stairs, coming almost face to face with her dear brother. She stared just as long at him as he did at her. He had changed nearly as much as she had since he left for college almost five years ago. His hair was bleached, and he was so much taller than he was when he left.

The way John’s eyes widened while looking at Georgia was almost comedic. He wasn’t sure that the person he was looking at was even related to him by blood. He slowly began to clear his head. Things weren’t entirely making sense to him, but he did miss out on a lot while he was away from home.

John- “So this is a thing? Huh! I missed more than I thought.”

Georgia- “Yeah, you did. It's… it's good to see you again. With this whole thing with The Dream happening, and now I'm a Magical Girl, I really needed to see you again. I missed you”

She hopped off the last few steps, wrapped her arms around John's waist, and buried her face in his chest. She started crying right before her mother rushed in from the kitchen. Karol hugged her two children tightly. It was starting to get awkward.

Eric- “What’s going on? Did I miss out on something in here, or are we all just hugging for no… reason? … Oh, you’re back, son. That’s nice.”

The others were startled by Eric’s voice, and the hug quickly fell apart. His daughter was now in plain view for him to see. His eyes widened just as John’s had. Eric’s face went sickeningly pale as his heart sank deeper and deeper into his chest. His sweet little girl, his princess, was now a Magical Girl. What if they convinced her to go out and risk her life every night? What if she got hurt? What if she were killed out there? What if… These questions swirled throughout his mind on loop. Never before had so much sweat come from a man's body.

Eric- “Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu… Ummm. How am I even supposed to respond to this?”

Karol- “Eric!”

Eric -“I’m sorry, am I being too concerned? I know it’s frowned upon to discourage them from fighting, but what kind of parent lets their kid risk their life like that. I’m not letting her go out into danger until I know she at least has a handle on how to use her powers.”

Karol -“Can we not worry her with this right now?”

John- “Ehem! So when were you planning on telling me about this? This seems like some fairly big stuff I should have known about.”

Eric pointed to his daughter, gesturing to her hair and eyes.

Eric- “To be honest, this is new.”

Karol- “Honey, he means the other thing.”

Eric- “Wait! I thought you knew before you left. Was it not as obvious as I thought it was?”

Georgia- “I never told him, and I was pretty good at hiding it. You guys didn’t even find out for a few years. To be honest, I wanted to say it in a letter, but I didn’t know how to put it.”

John- “This is a lot to process so… What now?”

That question was left in the air for quite a while while they sat down in the dining room and ate breakfast, bowls of cereal and some toast with various spreads. Eric and Karol supposed they needed some time off from work to sort this out, or at least they needed to take different hours for a few days.

During breakfast it was decided that John would handle most of the logistics behind getting Georgia registered if she decided that was a necessary process. He did land a new job at a managing firm after all. Having your own sister be your first client would give you a strong incentive to do things right.

It was time for Georgia to head off to school. Hopefully things would turn out okay for her. Most of her classmates still had mixed feelings about her. A small number of them even bullied her for thinking she could become a Magical Girl. Her teachers had already sorted those issues out, but it was still going to be something that would be brought up. They would likely either believe she was faking it or have their jaws drop off. Either way, it wouldn’t be easy.

The trip to school was okay. There were a few gawkers on the trolley ride, but nothing particularly bad happened. She made it to school on time and managed to get to the classroom in time to explain things to her Homeroom teacher. Mr Cherry was always an understanding individual. Sure he said some pretty weird things, but, somehow, he always knew exactly how to respond to any situation. He assured her that, whatever she chose to do, he would support her.

Georgia sat down in her seat and got out her notebook. She noticed someone walk up from behind her. It was one of the other students who poked fun at Georgia before. It wasn’t like she meant any harm by it, but the mockery had hurt nonetheless.

Madeline- “I see I’m not the only one who got The Dream last night, and since we're so familiar with each other, we might make a half decent team, ya know. By the way, where’s your mark? Mine’s on my back.”

Georgia- “I… haven’t found mine yet. If it’s on my back that would explain why, but how did you even find out that’s where yours is?”

Madeline- “My sister found it when I got up this morning. It’s a sword which would be pretty badass if it weren’t a broken one. Do ya wanna know what yours is or…? I mean… If you're uncomfortable with me checkin’ and all, someone else could do it, I guess.”

Georgia- "Maybe, after class, you could help me check, but we're probably not thematic. The likelihood of two girls on a thematic team having their Dreams on the same night is almost nonexistent."

Madeline- "Right! Sorry, I just assumed since we know each other, we might be…"

The bell rang, and Homeroom began as usual. Their teacher, Marcus Cherry, helped his students with the things they didn't understand from other classes. After the next bell rang, Mr Cherry pulled Madeline and Georgia aside to talk to someone about their situation.

Marcus- "Girls, this is my sister, Andrea. She teaches over at Future's Promise. She's not going to force you into anything, but if you decide to register, she can help you out with a few things."

Andrea- "It's nice to meet you. I'm Miss Andrea Cherry, and, like my brother said, I’m here to help out with things. It’s okay if you don’t want my help though. You won’t hurt my feelings if you say no.”

Madeline- “That sounds great to me, but if ya want me on board, you’ll need her too. Ain’t that right, partner?”

Madeline’s words were genuine. She actually intended to follow Georgia regardless of her decision. It took a moment to collect her thoughts, but once she had, she was sure of what needed to be done.

Georgia- “I’ll register with the CDD, but let me call my brother first. I already decided he would be my manager. Madeline, are you going to let him be your manager too, or did you have someone else in mind?”

Madeline- “Nah, he’ll do just fine. If ya trust him, then so do I.”

Andrea- “Alright, it’s settled then. I’ll get the paperwork ready.”

Ms Cherry led the two young girls to get registered, and Georgia called John so he could be there. Today was going to be a long day for everyone.

(Well, not everyone. There are some people who haven’t appeared yet.)

Yes, but those things can be saved for later chapters, now can’t they?

(If you insist on having them wait, then by all means do so. Just make sure you do it right. So far, you’ve made an excellent narrator.)

Thank you, and with that, we conclude this chapter.

{It’s my turn next. Huu huu huu!}

Who let her in?!?

####  **End of Chapter 2**


	4. Chapter 4

##  **Chapter 3**

###  **One Girl’s Heaven**

(For this one, it would be better if you went back to the beginning of that day.)

It would be better, but I think I’ll start from the classroom scene.

Duvessa Callan saw Georgia sit down. Apparently both her and Madeline had The Dream last night. “How disgusting,” she thought to herself. Somehow, more and more girls her age were becoming Magical Girls. Why? Why should anyone become those… those… detestable, despicable, unlovable heroines.

(She’s not fond of the girls if you didn’t get that.)

Duvessa had always hated Magical Girls. Sure, she didn’t want to die, but it’s not like she asked them to protect her. Then again, it did always seem like what she wanted was outweighed by whatever nonsensical thing everyone else wanted for her. Even her own flesh and blood didn’t understand her fascinations, and they honestly didn’t care to reexamine what it was she was truly interested in.

After class the two girls, Georgia and Madeline, were pulled aside to do who-cares-what with who-knows-who. It didn’t really matter. Duvessa hoped she’d never have to see those freaks, as she thought of them, ever again. She just went about her business as usual. Little did she know her fate would become intertwined with their own.

It was a long day at school. News spread quickly about how a number of girls at their middle school received their powers last night. Supposedly, a pair of those girls were actually thematic with one another and already had a manager lined up. All those girls were transferring out and going to Future’s Promise. “Good riddance,” Duvessa thought.

After school she returned home like she always did. This time, however, would be the last time she ever came back to her stupid Magical Girl loving family. She had her whole life ahead of her, and she didn’t plan on squandering it alongside these fools she called family. A man by the name of Mahatma Gandhi once said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Unfortunately for The City, Duvessa Callan took those words to heart. Tonight was the night. She was going to abandon everything for **_her dream_ **, but one girl's heaven…

(Is another’s hell. Is that what you’re trying to imply? I suppose in her case it would be true, but that doesn’t mean anything on its own. A little clarification is in order, wouldn’t you say.)

Fine…

Duvessa gathered her things. She would have to leave a lot of it behind so she could only bring what was important. First, she needed _the tools of the trade_ as it were. Her collection of discarded knives would do nicely. Next, she had to gather the necessities in life, stashed food and water, a can opener, and seven years worth of allowance she never spent in case she ran low on supplies. Then, she had to set it all up in her suitcase and backpack. Suitcases were almost useless for carrying most things, but she still had one last thing to take with her out there.

Duvessa couldn’t bear the ludicrous idea of leaving her beloved Jeremy in the care of her wretched family. Jeremy was her pet scorpion, a species that was almost unknown to those in The City who didn’t bother studying up on the world outside the barrier. Jeremy is the only living being that Duvessa has ever truly cared for. It helped his case that she admired his ability to sense the presence of other lifeforms. His particular species is commonly referred towards as the deathstalker. Duvessa and Jeremy’s bond was something to marvel at. Somehow, she was able to _enjoy_ his company, and he _enjoyed_ hers.

After some time had passed, she was finally ready to head out. She could have done anything to escape from this accursed life she was stuck living, but she wanted to make sure no one would go looking for her. She had a plan, and a big one at that. She laid her trap and waited for the time to strike. If not tonight, then when would she take control of her destiny. After it had turned midnight, several hours into the time when monsters roamed the streets, she put her scheme into motion.

Duvessa- “You ready Jeremy?”

Jeremy- _Scorpion Noises_

That night, Duvessa Callan died in a horrible accident. A powerful monster breached the inner barrier around her house and killed her. That’s the story that came to be from what happened that night. In reality, she just blew up her own house from inside and managed to fake her own death. A clever plan, really, were it not for the tragedy it could have caused. Monsters did come to the hole she created, and they did nearly kill at least three people. Overall, Duvessa found this to be an acceptable outcome from what she had originally accounted for.

(She was aiming to cause her whole family to die in the explosion without suffering, but they were nearly eaten by monsters instead. For all intensive purposes she failed miserably.)

She still faked her death, didn’t she? What, no sly comment this time?

(No. Carry on.)

Duvessa was finally freed from the burdensome chains of her place in society. The shackles of her humanity would be undone this night. Even if it cost her life to ensure it, she was willing to pay that price. She had big plans, and the gears were already turning. She wandered the streets and avoided monsters with the help of Jeremy. Eventually, she stumbled across a team of girls who were resting after a long fight.

Spirit Mind- “That monster was tough. I almost got killed out there.”

Spirit Soul- “You said it. If I see even one more of those crab-snake things, I think I’ll lose it.”

Spirit Mind- “What about you, Polly. You think you could take another round?”

Spirit Astral- “Hey, did you hear something?”

The girls had noticed Duvessa now. All the pieces were falling into place. She showed herself to the girls and put on an act of victim that would have made the most trained detectives fall for her ruse.

Duvessa- “Please! You have to help me! My family was attacked by a huge scorpion monster, and my mom gave her life to give me the chance to run for help.”

Spirit Astral- “Where are they!”

Duvessa- “They’re just a ways north of here. I think the beast is still looking for survivors.”

Polly Geise used her power to separate her conscience from her body and scour in the direction of the threat. She was out of sight within moments, and her now soulless body lied there unknowing what was about to become of it. Jeremy had already snuck his way from Duvessa’s hoodie to the sleeve of Spirit Soul’s dress. With only a single sting, Jeremy’s work had been done. Team Spirit’s fate was now sealed.

Spirit Mind- “Wait! You called those things scorpions, didn’t you? How did you know what they were?”

Duvessa dropped the act as easily as she had picked it up.

Duvessa- “Jeremy is a deathstalker so I’ve had the pleasure of becoming quite familiar with them.”

Spirit Mind- “Who’s…”

Before she could finish her sentence, her innards had become her outards. Duvessa’s blade had cut deep into her flesh. Spirit Mind fell over and screamed in pain. How could she not? She was strewn all about the place like asphalt. Duvessa quickly dealt with the incessant noise still spewing from her first victim’s mouth. A quick slash of the throat and it was over. When Spirit Soul tried to intervene, that’s when Jeremy’s venom took hold, paralyzing her and sending her body into shock from the allergic reaction.

Duvessa- “Thank you, Jeremy. A fine job we’ve done here, isn’t it? Now for the last one!”

Her knife made quick work of the sleeping body in front of her. The Purple One saw what had transpired. She looked on in admiration of the young maidens' work. Perhaps there was someone she could consider a fellow worker of this morbid trade.

The Purple One- “How interesting. I’ll be observing your efforts from now on. Your hatred may run as deep as mine.”

Duvessa had only seen a glimpse of her, but those words had become ingrained within her mind. Someone out there hated the girls as much as she did? Maybe this mysterious purple girl was worth investigating. With her new found freedom, she had no one to stop her. 

She turned back to the carcasses in front of her. She needed to hide the evidence, and she knew exactly how. Duvessa swiftly cleaned her blade and disguised the wounds. This was her first time taking lives, but it certainly wouldn’t be her last. Once her cover up was complete, she hid herself away to avoid the peering eyes of the other girls. She had done it. She had taken the lives of Magical Girls. She now knew they could be killed by normal means, and this knowledge would serve her evil purposes well.

The night passed, and the bodies were discovered. A small funeral was held for the girls who had passed that night. Presumably they had met their end at the clutches of the night’s horrors. In a sense of the phrase, they were right. There was one loose end, however, that remained united.

A girl by the name of Polly Geise remained. Somehow, her soul persisted without awareness for what had become of her body. Team Spirit died that night, but the soul of Spirit Astral remained as a ghost in this world. The only thing keeping her around was the reserves of magic power she had stored up. She had felt the pain of death, yet still she lived.

Polly learned of her teammates’ fate, as well as her own. There was no turning back for her. Polly’s life was over. She knew that. All that remained was a desire to set things right. She would see to it that, if not by her hands, then by another’s, justice would be served.

And so, the threads of fate have been woven. We have passed the point of no return. Georgia, Madeline, Duvessa, and Polly, these girls shall now engage in a party’s worth of macabre dances and poisoned wines.

(What my associate is trying to say is, “There is no turning back for the girls. The story must now play out with the pieces set as they are.”)

With that said, we bid you farewell.

(Yes, the author has been neglecting to sleep as of late, and we should get some rest as well. I fear the coming weeks will not be easy ones. Best to sleep while we have the chance. Goodbye.)

####  **End of Chapter 3**


	5. Chapter 5

##  **Chapter 4**

###  **Knight’s Night**

The Artum family was just like any other family in The City, a single mother and her three children, two boys and a girl. They were getting ready for dinner like usual. What was so special about tonight? The Parker family, another single mother and her daughter, was coming over.

Amy- “Jammie, could you grab the bowls for me? I have my hands full with this pot of soup.”

Jammie- “Sure thing, Ma. You know I could have handled the cooking for tonight. You already do so much for us.”

Amy- “Now what good is a mother who can’t even take care of her kids?”

They both just laughed it off. This kind of joking wasn’t all that uncommon for these two. After a few minutes, there was a knocking on the front door. Jammie went to open it and greet their guests.

Susan- “Hello. You must be Amy’s son, Jammie. It’s nice to meet you. Say hello, sweetie.”

Her daughter, Tem, scoffed and turned her head away from the boy in front of her. She made it clear as day, she wanted nothing to do with him. Unfortunately for her, she’d be seeing a lot more of him in her future. They headed into the living room.

(Perhaps we should skip the less pressing details.)

You know what? Sure, why not? I’ll let you explain all the more intricate details of what’s so important here while I just casually brush over two women in their thirties chatting with two teenagers piping in every once and awhile, but seriously, go ahead.

(Thank you.)

(About twenty years ago, Amy Artum was a Magical Girl. Her title was Sword Knight, and her power was, as you can guess, a sword. On Miss Artum's last night out, she came across another girl who had found herself in danger. This girl was weak, but before Miss Artum could kill the monster in front of the girls, she was injured. Miss Artum gave up all her power so that the other girl could wield the sword. This made her far more powerful than most of the other Magical Girls. That girl, the one who was given the sword, was Miss Susan Parker.)

(As it just so happens, that sword is still around. In fact, it’s hung up on the wall of the Artum family living room. Now I do believe my part in this is over, is it not?)

It is. Thank you. Now then, on to the dinner scene.

It didn’t take all that long to set the table and put out the first servings. The twins rushed from their room, eager for food. It wasn’t out of place for Ameal and Angela to go for three or four rounds each. Over all, their life was modest, peaceful, and in no way remarkable. Sure, Amy and Susan had been Magical Girls in their youth, but that was a long time ago. They ate dinner, bathed, and went to bed. The Parker family would have to stay the night since the inner barrier had already gone up and the trains weren't running. It was arranged so that the girls slept in one room and the boys slept in the other. Amy and Susan slept in the master bedroom.

For the first several hours, it was quiet and peaceful.

 _Thud! CRACK!_ **_SHATTER!_ **

A monster had managed to break the barrier around the Artum family home. The loud noise stirred most of the people awake. No matter how much Angela shook her, Tem wouldn't wake up. Amy and Susan rushed to gather their children. The monster had trouble going through the doorways so they could use that to buy some time.

_Crash! Bang! Crunch!_

Just as they had made it to the living room, the monster broke down the wall. It was disoriented and tried to recover.

Jammie did the only thing he could think to do. He dashed over to the wall and took the sword from its perch.

Amy- “Jammie! You can’t fight that thing! You'll only end up getting hurt!”

Jammie- “I can't just sit here helpless!”

The monster shot out several of its needles towards the group. One of them had stabbed into Amy’s flesh. She was out cold in mere moments.

Susan- “Just use it already. It’s your sword so wield it and kill that thing!”

(Should I describe this little detail, or would you like to do the honors?)

By all means, enlighten them.

(You may recall the fact of this sword being the remnants of Miss Artum’s powers. This power has a few limitations, or perhaps safeguards would be a more accurate term. The first of these measures is that one may only utilize the weapon if they either have permission from its owner or own the sword themself. The second and third are currently a mystery, but I have a feeling we will learn about those in due time.)

Jammie’s eyes began glowing. Where once they had a dark brown hue, a brilliant orange glow now adorned his irises. That same aura emanated from the… no, from _his_ sword.

The monster had regained control of its movements. It readied itself to charge at its prey.

Jammie steeled himself as the creature rushed the group. It lasted but a moment, but he felt powerful. With a single stroke of the blade, he decapitated the wretched thing.

Jammie- “Is everyone okay?”

Angela- “Mom got hurt! One of the spikey things cut her.”

Susan- “We need to get to a Safety Center as soon as possible”

Ameal- “The hospital is one, but it’s really far.”

Jammie- “Come on! We have to move before more monsters find us.”

With that, they headed out to get to the local hospital. Everyone was anxious. Why weren't there any monsters or magical girls out? Was that one alone or did it have a group? These questions would soon be answered, but those answers won’t be happy ones.

They turned onto the street with the Safety Center. Its doors were already open. A number of girls were carrying unconscious people. They blended into the crowd quite easily.

 _Rumble! CRASH!_ **_THUD!_ ** Something sinister was coming, and it was approaching fast. The Magical girls had little time to prepare for the onslaught of porcupine shape monsters that assailed the now vulnerable Safety Center. It was almost a massacre. The weakened girls had little in the way of magic left to protect the civilians. Despite the fifteen or so of them, they were vastly outnumbered by these ravenous beasts. This was it, do or die! Jammie had to step up, or innocent people would die. He wasn’t used to fighting, but what his mother had taught him was sufficient for holding back the insipid fiends. It gave the girls enough time to rest between each of their attacks. They felt like they were making headway, but the number of adversaries kept growing.

Something was off. Why were they multiplying? A boss monster, as large as the buildings it creeped between, scurried its way onto the scene! It was far too massive for anyone left in fighting condition to handle. It shot spines as large as train cars, and easily shattered the barrier around the hospital. Multiple empty rooms were destroyed and several patients were woken from their slumber in a violent way. Angela had managed to keep Tem’s sleeping body from harm, but now she had gone missing amongst the chaos.

A number of the monsters, at least five of them, went flying! No one had even noticed them sneaking up on the hospital employees.

Tem- “Good grief. I go to sleep for a few hours, and these things make a mess of the place. I’m guessing one of them broke into the house.”

Tem’s appearance had changed drastically. Her hair was now as green as a garden and she wore a plaid green skirt, a white shirt, and black flowing trench coat with a chain pinned to it’s collar.

(I see introducing major characters in pairs is a trend of this story.)

I suppose it is. How interesting?

Angela and Ameal starred in awe. Her mother, however, nearly passed out from shock. No wonder they couldn't wake her up. She was having the dream!

In but a moment, Tem had disappeared from their sights as three more monsters went flying.

The exhausted girls began cheering despite the fact they had no idea what was going on.

(They aren't the only ones who are confused. I am as well. As far as I can tell she isn’t doing anything. They just go flying and Miss Tem is in a different location. How odd?)

Allow me to give you a little perspective.

One of the heinous things lunged at Tem. She took a deep breath, calming her nerves and stilling the world around her. The beast stood there, suspended in the moment of free fall. She walked to the creatures leftmost side and began striking with a flurry of punches. While it hadn’t moved but an inch, the force of her fists were carried nonetheless. As time flowed forth once more, the monster was now soaring rightward through the air.

Again, she repeated this tactic. Beast after beast, monstrosity after monstrosity, fell victim to her merciless wrath. Not but one foe was made left to remain but the colossus that towered over the small army of Magical Girls accompanied by Jammie.

Tem- “Hey, Jammie! You think we can take this sucker?”

Jammie- “Only one way to find out.”

The duo faced the threat head on. Large numbers of spines broke off at once. Cuts as deep as a man's arm coated the wretch. Blow to blow, slash to slash, barrage after barrage, they whittled away at its defences and bore into the flesh. One final push would end this farce.

Jammie's hair shone in a nova of energy, and a razor aura caked the blade in his grasp. Victory was within reach. A single swing was all it took to finish the beast.

Tem grabbed his shoulder. Panting, she had somehow run empty where a mere second before she had been full of vigor.

(Ah! So now they know the second safeguard. It takes another individual’s magic to ignite the sword’s finisher technique.)

The crowd of bystanders and tired heroines cheered for the two’s triumph over the enemy. The echoing roar of ecstatic onlookers filled the streets. While the hospital would be busy for quite some time after this evening, there were no casualties of which to speak of, and it was thanks to these two brave young warriors. Jammie Artum and Tem Parker had made it their business to ensure the safety of those who hadn’t the ability to defend themselves against the things that went bump in the night.

While Jammie was unable to register with the City Defence Department, a name which was usually shortened to CDD, they were able to give him certain equipment and advice to aid him in combat. They couldn’t stop him, but they could at least have a part in his continued survival. Tem was fully able to register as a Magical Girl with the authorities, and was set to enroll in a school that specialized in educating The City’s defenders, Founder’s Blessing. While it wasn’t immediate, she was eventually allowed to go out on nightly patrol.

Mrs. Netzteil- “Miss Parker, who is that boy, and what does he think he’s doing here?”

Ms. Grizzle- “Relax. She's strong enough to protect him if he gets stuck out here with us.”

CDD Agent- “Oh! It’s Mister Artum. We tried convincing him not to fight but he insists on being of help to the girls on patrol.”

Jammie- “I was wondering when they’d start letting you fight.”

Tem- “Good grief. Had they taken any longer, I’d have aged out before getting to help anyone.”

Jammie- “You ready to kick some hide?”

Tem- “You ready to mop the pavement with their innards?”

And with that, we close the curtains on another chapter of this enticing saga or dread, exhilaration, and intrigue. I hope you’ve enjoyed this addition as much as I have.

(This was the most action you’ve given their tale yet. Perhaps we’ll recount some less sweat working events next time.)

Perhaps we shall. Well wishes and many thanks for staying with us thus far.

####  **End of Chapter 4**


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